Over 20 years have gone by since the release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the movie that kicked off one of the most popular franchises in the history of cinema. Still, the saga remains popular to this day, attracting new fans who appreciate the films thanks to their parents or other relatives. The worldwide success of Harry Potter can be attributed to many reasons, starting with J. K. Rowling’s story and the wonderful and complex wizarding worlds she created in her novels. On top of that, we must also take into account all the hard work that went into adapting the books to film, under the guidance of prestigious directors such as Chris Columbus, Alfonso Cuarón, Mike Newell, and David Yates.
But probably the most important factor contributing to Harry Potter’s success was its cast, featuring some of the greatest stars in the acting world as well as promising young actors who are now among the industry’s top performers. As the saga ran for over ten years, these young actors were able to evolve by leaps and bounds, while learning from major stars. So much so, that by the time Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 was released, all of them were impressively gifted artists, delivering performances that matched their more experienced cast mates. Here are the best performances in the Harry Potter movies.
10 Rupert Grint
Warner Bros.
It’s almost impossible to believe that Ron Weasley was Rupert Grint’s very first role, especially given his impeccable performance at such a young age. So much so that Rowling felt there was no one else as perfect as him to play the character. In Harry Potter, Ron is one of the main characters alongside Harry and Hermione, and as a member of a large pure-blood family, he is the one who provides information about the magical world. And while he tends to be the most clumsy and irresponsible of them all, he is a fun-loving and good-hearted young man. Throughout the films, Grint was able to display tremendous versatility as an actor, earning him a Satellite Award for Outstanding New Talent and a Young Artist Award for Most Promising Young Newcomer, among many other nominations.
9 Robbie Coltrane
Robbie Coltrane played several roles throughout his life, but Rubeus Hagrid is the one his fans will always remember most fondly. This half-giant and half-human was a pivotal figure in Harry Potter’s life, and he managed to capture the hearts of the audience with his gentleness and loyalty. For his work in the saga, Coltrane was nominated for a British Academy Film Award and a Saturn Award. His tragic passing greatly saddened fans, the industry, and members of the Harry Potter cast, who poured out into social media to share what the actor meant to them.
8 Tom Felton
Playing a movie villain is hard enough, but it is even more challenging for a child with very little acting experience. But Tom Felton managed to pull it off wonderfully, delivering Draco Malfoy, an evil child who, beneath his bullying attitude, was hiding a terrified little boy who wasn’t sure of what he was doing. From film to film, his performance kept getting better, and his character, growing in prominence. For his role in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1, Felton won an MTV Movie Award and a Teen Choice Award for Best Villain.
7 Maggie Smith
In Harry Potter, none other than the brilliant Maggie Smith is Minerva McGonagall, Hogwarts professor and head of the House of Gryffindor. With strong gifts for wizardry and morphing, McGonagall is one of the major figures in the main characters’ evolution, the first one to scold them for any mischief they get into, but also the one who always keeps an eye on their feelings and the things they go through. While her character is not one of the most prominent ones in the story, Smith did an impeccable job in every scene she starred in.
6 Helena Bonham Carter
Helena Bonham Carter was definitely the perfect choice to play a character as dark and unbridled as Bellatrix Lestrange, and the only one capable of endowing the character with such a spiraling insanity. Bellatrix was the first woman Death Eater, always ready to make people suffer just for the fun of it and to die for Lord Voldemort. She was definitely among the most hated villains of the series, and that was due to the actress’ impeccable performance, who was not afraid to go beyond her energy limits to really convey the essence of Lestrange.
5 Imelda Staunton
While there are many iconic villains in Harry Potter, Dolores Umbridge is the only one that managed to turn into one of the cruelest and most hated characters in the franchise with such little screen time. Hiding behind the innocent appearance of a sweet lady who loves cats and the color pink is the main antagonist of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, a mean and vicious person who, in her quest to control Hogwarts, did not hesitate to abuse the students. Imelda Staunton’s performance in the saga is so impeccable that it ranks amongst her best roles.
4 Emma Watson
Just as it happens with Grint in his role as Ron, it is impossible to imagine another actress in Hermione Granger’s shoes: Emma Watson proved to be the perfect choice for the role because, in many ways, Wtason is Hermione. They share everything from their intelligence, bravery, and big heart to their need to be the voice of the least heard. In fact, Watson ruined many of the shots in the first few films because she kept repeating the lines of all the other characters. She made quite an evolution over the course of the saga, and became a formidable actress.
3 Ralph Fiennes
While Lord Voldemort is a character that has been around since the beginning of the saga, he is strongly associated with the actor who played him the longest: Ralph Fiennes. Even though he differs a bit from how he is depicted in the novels, Fiennes managed to capture the character’s cruelty, his hunger for power and even the cowardice that was hidden underneath all the things this villain wanted to portray to both his followers and his enemies.
2 Daniel Radcliffe
Definitely, no amount of effort on the part of the filmmakers would have been worthwhile without a strong main actor capable of carrying the narrative, which is why their search for the boy who would play Harry Potter turned out to be very extensive. Fortunately, they reached their goal: Daniel Radcliffe was the perfect actor for the role, and the audience loved him right away. His versatility allowed him to adapt to the many changes and emotions Harry went through over the years, revealing darker aspects of the character. This, at the same time, was useful for his career once the saga was over.
1 Alan Rickman
Alan Rickman tops this ranking for his flawless performance of an utterly crucial character in the Harry Potter story: Severus Snape. This Hogwarts professor is dark, unfair, sarcastic and has no problem humiliating those students he dislikes the most, particularly Harry. However, hidden behind that tough exterior, Snape guarded something very fragile for years: his unconditional love for Lily, Harry Potter’s mother, that is revealed at the end of the saga. Rickman managed to perfectly convey the duality of the character, as well as his particular sense of humor. Because of this, he quickly became a fan favorite.
